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Use Your Art Gender Inequality poster series

Thirty-six students from the Peace and Justice group in Loreto Secondary School Bray, in conjunction with 80:20 Educating and Acting for a Better World, launched a poster art series on March 8th, 2019 on International Women’s Day on the themes of women’s rights and ‘on this day’ historical events.

A central idea to the posters by the students and project team, on exhibition at the launch event in Bray Library in Bray, Co. Wicklow, spoke in celebration to past achievements in the women’s rights movement and in protest when comparing them to similar and ongoing daily struggles experienced in the lives of women and girls in today’s world.

Actions, not words; four stealth bombers greater than or equal to the annual cost of ending maternal mortality?; the gender pay gap; education and ‘the girl effect’ – a sample of some of the most important issues for girls and women raised by the group in the poster work discussions and exercises.

In developing the Use Your Art to End Gender Inequality posters the Peace and Justice group marked the centenary year of suffrage activities and commemorations as reference points for young people, particularly girls, to learn about and be inspired to act on women’s rights (and wrongs); as a reminder of and a tribute to the power of posters historically in generating conversations and interest in women’s issues and as a mirror to highlight examples of gender discrimination and violence women face every day in public life, in the labour market and at home.

Participants have been involved in a range of cluster group activities over a 17 month period, including:

Exploring (1) centenary of women’s franchise events and debates, (2) global trends and realities of violence encountered by women every day, including the #MeToo movement, (3) a series of key international standards such as the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) with international development targets to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity, and (4) selected case studies, such as the Rohingya crisis, through a gender lens.

Reviewing artwork from previous women’s rights poster campaigns over the last 100 years

Background data

Poster 1: Women’s Tax

Globally, women are paid 37% less than men for similar work. In Ireland, women are paid 30% less than men for similar work. In South Africa, 45% less. In Brazil, 48% less. Source: Global Gender Gap Report 2017, World Economic Forum

Other notes

Free copies of the A3 posters are available by request. Contact info@8020.ie

Research data and Use Your Art to End Gender Inequality education and poster project details will be available shortly.

The Peace and Justice group in Loreto Secondary School Bray is a voluntary student-led group of mixed age range of students from 13-18 years old which raises awareness of justice issues both at home in Ireland and abroad. More info: loretobray.om/peace-and-justice

International Women’s Day is the annual international UN designated day to celebrate the historical, cultural and political achievements of women and to champion the advancement of women’s rights and gender equality.

Project leaders: Tony Daly, Ciara Regan and Linda Quigley.

About Let’s Talk

Let’s Talk is an education and action project which involves young people discussing, debating and taking action on issues of conflict, peace, reconciliation, climate change, sustainable development and justice in Ireland and beyond.

The project has been running for over 20 years, co-ordinated by 80:20 Educating and Acting for a Better World.